1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for inducing and establishing a deepened state of in a human that is physically and psychically (hypnotically) relaxed or changed by employing electroacoustic means.
2. Background Information
Psychogenic-therapy methods in the form of suggestive treatment with therapeutic and prophylactic character are gaining more and more in importance because there exists a very high probability of positively influencing the subconscious mind. Through this treatment, carried out in a deepened physical and psychical (hypnotical) state of relaxation--which is in itself already of great therapeutic effect--negative mental (disturbing) factors, which are fixed in the subconscious mind and evoke (subconsciously) misguided behavior, are replaced suggestively by positive, mental-motivating elements.
In spite of the necessity of individual, different treatment for executing the aforementioned exchange, it is, in order to relieve the treating therapist, both unavoidable and possible to induce and establish at least the deepened state of consciousness that is physically and psychically (hypnotically) relaxed or changed by employing electroacoustic auxiliary means.
The applicant has already described an apparatus in this connection for carrying out hypnotherapy, with which the physician conducting the therapy is able to reach simultaneously via sound carrier or microphone several patients wearing headphones, and exercise a suggestive influence on them for inducing and deepening the hypnosis and for the subsequent return out of the hypnosis.
In this connection, it was pointed out that certain sounds, in particular the rushing of the sea, i.e., the crashing of waves, had a very high sedative effect. To be able to utilize this, the control part of the aforementioned apparatus is provided with a suitable sound generator in order to bring the rushing of the sea alone by itself as well as superimposed, on the headphones for group and individual suggestion.
It is true that all this does relieve the therapist as regards previous individual methods of induction, such as the fascination method and the fixation method, but the effectiveness on the individuals remains very different, which demands in the end no lesser expenditure of time.
In the meantime, however, the results of years of scientific research by the inventor have revealed possibilities of essentially accelerating and deepening the induction and establishment of a deepened state of consciousness that is physically and psychically relaxed or changed.
From the findings of the inventor, upon inducing the condition of hypnosis a sinking of the activity of the left (with right-handers) half of the brain (fatigue effect) takes place, i.e. a damping of understanding and sense; and the censor becomes inattentive due to threshold tiring or distraction; which, on the other hand, results in the restriction of the consciousness on the left side, as restriction of the control of the censors; the sinking of the brain activity on the left hemisphere means, hence, a kind of dazed feeling, sleepiness, even inattentiveness on the part of the censor (C. H. Bick, Hypnoanalyse, in Laux/Schubert, Klinische Hypnose, Centaurus-Verlagsgesellshaft, Pfafferweiler); the inventor has set himself the task of creating a method of the aforementioned kind which is suitable for accelerating and deepening the induction and establishment of the deepened physical and psychical state of relaxation in accordance with the foregoing findings.